 A critique of project management researchBijan Jamshid-Nejad International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2025, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-21 Abstract: Project management studies are predominantly conducted by inductive reasoning based on a positivist philosophy. This paper is an organised attempt to shed light on the hidden weaknesses of project management research. The weaknesses are categorised in three categories: research design, definitions and measurements, and analysis. The key weaknesses discussed in this paper include lack of a general underlying theory, issues with positivism and statistical modelling, and dearth of explanatory models. To address these weaknesses, mixed-method research based on a critical realist philosophy is suggested. As an example, the effects of environmental complexity on projects were presented. This example demonstrates how a mixed-method approach, grounded in critical realism, can provide deeper insights and a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between environmental factors and project performance. By embracing a critical realist perspective and employing mixed-method research, project management scholars can pave the way for more contextually-relevant and explanatory studies in this multifaceted field. Keywords: project management; PM; research philosophy; critical realism; CR; mixed-method research. (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijpoma:v:17:y:2025:i:1:p:1-21 Access Statistics for this article More articles in International Journal of Project Organisation and Management from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd |
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